Sheen Bros Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 1st 2010 3:00PM by Victor Bracht
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Sheen Bros, comprised of veteran DJ/Producer Cosmo Baker and MC/Producer 4th Pyramid, spin a brand of hip-hop hard to associate with any one scene. Their self described 'Scumbag Funk' is an amalgam of the Philadelphia and Toronto bi-coastal, border-hopping hip-hop both grew up with, and it's sure to make quite an impression on audiences this year at SXSW. Spinner recently talked to Baker about the Sheen Bros sound and their upcoming trip to Texas.

How did Sheen Bros come together?

Pyramid and I know each other from having worked with Scion, and we have done a few tours together with Pharoahe Monch and Redman to name a couple. Scion was holding these monthly radio events to promote the online radio programming that they have, one of which is my Rub Radio show. So one night we were standing outside of the venue in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and we looked across the street at a bodega and saw the sign on the front that read, "Sheen Bros." Pyramid pointed it out and laughed, and then I laughed, and then we had this instantaneous moment of recognition where we immediately knew we needed to collaborate on a project together under the Sheen Bros guise.

What's the significance of the name Sheen Bros?

There's something about the sound of Sheen Bros that conveys that sophisticated style of funk that we love and try to get across.

How would you describe the sound of Sheen Bros?

Well we're both some hip-hop guys and so everything that we've been doing comes from that particular foundation. Plus we have rapping as well as singing as our vocals, but really it's kind of hard to pigeon-hole what our sound is. "Groovy" is a word that definitely comes to mind. We're the sons of Charlie Wilson, and we make records that sound like if Todd Terje met Fatman Scoop.

Who are some of your main influences?

Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards from the Chic organization, Roger Troutman of course, and the whole Solar Records sound which just exemplifies that "sparkling" sound that we love. And new stuff too like Todd Terje, the Dream and the stuff Christopher "Tricky" Stewart has been doing. Other than that we're heavily influenced by Hennessy.

Who are some of the artists you've been listening to lately?

One of my favorite producers is a cat out of Vancouver named U-Tern and basically anything he touches is solid gold.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour or playing a show?

Sex drugs and rock and roll, man! Psyche! No, really the craziest thing that's ever happened at our Sheen Bros show was when we had some girls drunkenly dancing on stage and then preceded to topple off the side one by one.

What's your biggest vice?

Spending money on records I don't really need.

Do you guys have any guilty musical pleasures?

Man, I have no shame in listening to some of the stuff we listen to. Except for the whole '90s alt-Christian Rock thing that I'm into. I'm Jewish by the way, did I mention that?

What's in your festival survival kit?

Lots of water and a strong moral fortitude.

What are you most looking forward to at SXSW?

Seeing my friends and lots of BBQ!

Victor Bracht is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.